Different Styles of Diapering [Not written by me]
Introduction:
A diapering system needs to have 2 components: a waterproof part and an absorbent part. These 2 components may be a separate diaper and cover, completely attached (an all-in-one or AIO), or may attach for use but separate for laundering (pockets and "quick-dry" AIOs, aka AI2s). There are also some accessories that can be used with multiple types of systems, so I'll address those separately.
Here's how the different systems break down:
There are several different types of separate diapers, each of which can be used with one of several different types of covers; as a rule, these are interchangeable, although some cover and diaper combinations may fit together better than others.
Flats -- A flat is a large square or rectangle of material, generally only a single layer. It is folded, either in a manner similar to a prefold for use in a wrap, or in a fold such as the origami fold. It may be fastened with pins or a Snappi, or laid into a snug wrap-style cover. Flats are the easiest diapers to launder thoroughly by hand, and excellent for situations where handwashing and drip-drying are necessary (i.e., camping trips), but are more labor-intensive to use than most other systems.
Prefolds -- A prefold is a rectangular diaper with multiple layers, folded and stitched in place (thus the pre-folded aspect), so that it is thicker in the middle and thinner on the sides; usually they are made of light cotton twill, and have 4 layers on the sides and either 6 or 8 layers in the middle. Cheap versions by Gerber and others have a separate padding in the middle, and are ineffective and not recommended. Prefolds are sized, and range from 8"x11" preemie sizes to 15"x20" toddler size; most commonly, babies can start in the infant size (approx. 11"x13" -- it will be bulky, but not for long) and graduate to the premium size (approx. 14"x18") at around 6 months, and be in that until potty training. Two common types are Chinese prefolds (CPFs, made in China) and Indian prefolds (IPFs, made in Pakistan, actually); both have their devotees but are about equally effective. Diaper services generally provide CPFs, and prefolds of some type are the only style of diaper available from most services. Prefolds can be folded in thirds and laid into a snug wrap-style cover, or fastened with pins or a Snappi under looser covers; fastening, with proper folding techniques, gives more protection from poopy blowouts even within a wrap cover.
Contours -- A contour is a flat diaper with multiple layers, and with shaping, but without integral fasteners, and usually without elastic at the legs or waist. Contours are *very* easy to lay in a wrap-style cover, but do little to prevent poop from getting to the inside of the cover; using pins or a Snappi doesn't help much, because there's little material around the legs to work with.
Fitteds -- A fitted is a completely shaped diaper with integral fasteners, either snaps or hook/loop tape. It generally will have elastic at the legs and at the waist. Most of them are designed so that they have a few layers all over ("body layers") and then additional layers in the middle ("soaker layers"). Some have all the soaker layers sewn in, while others have fewer layers sewn in place, and additional layers in the form of flaps or separate soakers that snap or lay in (and there are a few "pocket fitteds", where the soaker is stuffed between the body layers -- don't confuse these with pocket diapers generally), which is intended to speed the drying time. A fitted that fits the baby well gives very good protection against poopy blowouts, and they are generally pretty sitter-friendly to put on. Some fitteds also feature a "stay-dry" layer of very thin fleece (microfleece) or suedecloth as the layer closest to the skin; these materials are non-absorbent, and allow moisture to pass into the absorbent layer, but don't readily let it back out, keeping the baby's skin somewhat dryer.
There are also some hybrids, like "prefitteds" (prefolds modified to be similar to a fitted, with shaped and elasticized legs), but these are the main types.
COVERS FOR THE ABOVE DIAPERS
There are generally 3 materials from which covers are made, and 3 ways in which covers fasten, which combine to give the available options. The possible materials are laminated fabric (usually polyurethane laminate, or PUL), polyester fleece, and wool. The possible fastenings are hook/loop tape, snaps, or pull-on. Pretty much each fabric is available in each format, although some are more prevalent than others (for instance, velcro covers are most often PUL; pull-up covers are most often wool, and knitted wool especially is most often a pull-up style cover, although other options do exist, like the buttoning Ribby Wrap).
PUL -- PUL covers use a laminated fabric; usually this is a polyester knit for solid covers, or a cotton or cotton/poly woven for print covers, but some print covers have a layer of laminated poly knit under a separate layer of a woven print rather than having the print directly laminated. These covers are very waterproof (in particular, they are not subject to compression leakage in carseats), reasonably sturdy and long-lasting (especially if hung to dry, or dried on low/no heat in the dryer), and easy to care for. They are not as breathable as the other types of covers. I include Bumkins covers with the PUL covers, although they're a slightly different type of fabric (I *think* it's a laminated nylon); they do address the breathability issue with a vent system in the back that's really pretty nifty and functions very well.
Fleece -- Polyester fleece is a hydrophobic material; in sufficient thickness, it forms a waterproof barrier. It does allow air circulation, and it is machine washable. Cheaper fleece forms "pills" more readily than higher-quality fleece and may allow leakage when this happens; washing fleece separately from cotton or hemp fabrics (the lint contributes to pill formation) and washing fleece with regular fabric softener (*must* be done separately from the absorbent materials) helps preserve its water-repellency. Fleece is generally the material most subject to compression leakage, especially in carseats and strollers, because it relies solely on physical blockage by individual fibers; when compressed, the moisture may easily find a path through the fibers.
Wool -- When treated with lanolin, wool makes an excellent waterproof fabric. The lanolin provides repellency, and such moisture as makes it through will be absorbed by the wool fibers themselves, which can absorb up to 30% of their own weight without feeling damp. The lanolin also provides a natural cleansing effect, so that wool covers can be re-used many times before washing is necessary, unless poop gets on the cover. Wool also has excellent breathability, which makes it the coolest cover material in the summer. Wool covers can be made from wool fabric (woven or knit), or can be knitted from wool yarn. Wool covers may be felted or unfelted; felted means that the material from which it was made has been agitated in hot water, which cases the fibers to thicken, shrink, and lock together, resulting in the fabric becoming smaller, thicker, less flexible, and less porous. Felted wool covers often can be machine washed, while unfelted ones almost always require hand-washing; however, as this is not required often, the total care required is similar to other types of covers.
The Formats for the covers
Hook/loop covers (velcro) -- The most common commercially-made covers are of this type, and are a front-fastening cover that's designed to wrap around the diaper and to fit snugly: a wrap cover. These types of covers can usually hold an unpinned flat, prefold, or contour in place without pins or a Snappi, and if they fit well at the legs, will contain poop, but then the cover itself has to be washed. A lot of babies discover the joy of opening these covers at around 6 to 8 months, and it's necessary to change to snaps to deter them, or keep pants on them constantly, but the novelty does wear off and it may be possible to go back to this type later.
Snapping covers -- Snapping covers may fasten in the front, or on the side. Front-snapping covers, like wraps, may be snug enough to keep an unfastened diaper in place; side-snapping covers are usually too loose to do that. Snaps generally are more resistant to little fingers than hook/loop tape; side snaps usually baffle them for much longer than front snaps. Aside from that, the choice of front vs. side snaps is purely personal preference, and how the particular covers fit the particular child.
Pull-on covers -- Pull-on covers do not unfasten. This is a distinct disadvantage when there's a poopy blowout, since the cover has to be brought down over the legs and feet; however, they're very easy to use at all other times. Pretty much the only pull-on covers in really widespread use are wool, and mostly knitted wool; the cuteness, and the ease of construction for pull-on styles vs. fastened styles, outweighs the disadvantages of the occasional poopy pull-down for many people in this material particularly.
The Other diaper systems
The true all-in-ones, where the diaper is really just a single piece containing both the absorbent layers and the waterproof layer, are comparatively rare; they're primarily commercial products, rather than WAHM products. The advantage of these is that they're really *really* easy to use -- they're essentially just like a disposable to put on. The disadvantage is that you can't take them apart, and waterproof materials really benefit from and live longest with more gentle treatment than the absorbent layers need, particularly in drying. The true AIOs are pretty much all PUL for the waterproof layer; fleece doesn't handle this situation well, and wool *can't*, since it has to be lanolized, and that would ruin the absorbent layers if they were permanently attached -- the so-called "wool-in-ones" are really an AI2 system that snaps apart.
There are really two classes within this group -- pockets, and AI2s. In both of these, the waterproof portion completely separates from the absorbent portion for laundering, and the two portions need to be put together before use; once assembled, they are extremely easy to put on, making them very sitter-friendly. They do take a bit more work at the laundry stage than true AIOs, but this is worthwhile, because the waterproof portions last longer.
Pockets -- Pocket diapers consist of an outer shell portion and an insert portion. The outer shell portion has a waterproof layer on the outside, a stay-dry layer on the inside, and an opening at either the front or the back (most common) into which the insert portion is placed. The outer layer is usually PUL, but occasionally fleece (I'm not aware of a successful wool pocket), and the stay-dry layer is either suedecloth or microfleece. A pocket diaper that has been pre-stuffed with its insert(s) is just as easy to use as a disposable, and makes an excellent daycare diaper. Pockets and inserts are usually sold separately; unless a vendor says that inserts are included in the price, assume they're not.
Inserts -- Inserts are the absorbent portion of a pocket diaper. They can be made of anything absorbent, including old towels, t-shirts, washcloths, etc., but many are specifically made for the purpose. The most common choices are: (1) prefolds, often a size smaller than the child would wear if the prefold were going to be fastened separately; (2) microfiber towels, available in the kitchenware or in the automotive cleansing section at Wal-Mart, etc., or separately sewn into inserts by diaper vendors; and (3) hemp/cotton blend inserts specifically made for cloth diapers.
AI2s -- AI2s are also known as "quick dry" AIOs, and most WAHM-made AIOs are in fact of this type. They generally consist of an outer shell, similar to a cover, and then a soaker which usually fastens to the shell with snaps, but may just lay in place. The shell part may be of any of the cover fabrics; PUL types usually have a stay-dry layer as a lining, so the laminated side of the PUL isn't against skin. The soakers are also often covered with stay-dry fabric, and most often are a bi-fold or tri-fold design, so that they unfold to dry more quickly than a thicker soaker would.
Accessories
These accessories may be used with several of the types of systems, so they get their own categories.
Liners -- There are several different types of liners, and they serve different functions, some overlapping, in the diaper. All of these are placed as the very top layer, next to the skin.
(1) Fleece liners -- Fleece liners are a single layer of microfleece, either rectangular or contoured, and may or may not be finished on the edges. They serve two functions, as a stay-dry layer in a diaper which doesn't have one, and to make the removal of poop from the diaper easier, as poop comes off fleece more easily than off cotton. They can also be used when a non-diaper-friendly ointment is going to be used, to protect the diaper from staining or other ill effects. They are washed with the diapers. They can *generally* be used with any type of diapering system, but using them on top of an existing stay-dry layer may cause repelling problems; disposable liners are better for that.
(2) Flushable/disposable/rice paper liners -- Disposable liners mainly serve to make poop removal easier and for keeping ointments off the diapers. They are either flushed (if flushable, and the waste disposal system will tolerate them) or thrown away once soiled; some types may be washed with the diapers and re-used a few times before wearing out. They can be used with any type of diapering system.
(3) Silk liners -- The main function of silk liners is to promote healing of rashes; the silk is soothing to skin and can help it to heal without the use of ointments. They are washed and re-used. They can be used with any type of diapering system.
Doublers -- Doublers are a pad of absorbent material, smaller than a contour diaper, which adds extra absorbency. They can be rectangular, oval, or contoured, and some are topped with a stay-dry material. They can be used in any type of diapering system, wherever and whenever extra absorbency is needed, and are a good way to add absorbency without adding bulk outside the immediate wet zone.
Summary:
Diapers
Prefolds - need a wrap of some kind
Fitteds - need a wrap of some kind
Pockets - need something stuffed in them, be it a microfibre insert, a hemp insert or even a t-shirt! Absorbancy can be customised to your needs.
All in Ones - True AIOs don't need anything (bar maybe a liner)
Liners - Fleece, silk or flushable - lay on top of inner of dipe (so it touched babys bum)
Doublers - add at nap time/overnight etc when you need more absorbancy
Wool Wraps - needs lanolised every now and again, breatheable
Fleece Wraps - breatheable
PUL Covers - waterproof but not a breathable as fleece or wool
original:
http://community.livejournal.com/clothdiapering/941837.html
A diapering system needs to have 2 components: a waterproof part and an absorbent part. These 2 components may be a separate diaper and cover, completely attached (an all-in-one or AIO), or may attach for use but separate for laundering (pockets and "quick-dry" AIOs, aka AI2s). There are also some accessories that can be used with multiple types of systems, so I'll address those separately.
Here's how the different systems break down:
There are several different types of separate diapers, each of which can be used with one of several different types of covers; as a rule, these are interchangeable, although some cover and diaper combinations may fit together better than others.
Flats -- A flat is a large square or rectangle of material, generally only a single layer. It is folded, either in a manner similar to a prefold for use in a wrap, or in a fold such as the origami fold. It may be fastened with pins or a Snappi, or laid into a snug wrap-style cover. Flats are the easiest diapers to launder thoroughly by hand, and excellent for situations where handwashing and drip-drying are necessary (i.e., camping trips), but are more labor-intensive to use than most other systems.
Prefolds -- A prefold is a rectangular diaper with multiple layers, folded and stitched in place (thus the pre-folded aspect), so that it is thicker in the middle and thinner on the sides; usually they are made of light cotton twill, and have 4 layers on the sides and either 6 or 8 layers in the middle. Cheap versions by Gerber and others have a separate padding in the middle, and are ineffective and not recommended. Prefolds are sized, and range from 8"x11" preemie sizes to 15"x20" toddler size; most commonly, babies can start in the infant size (approx. 11"x13" -- it will be bulky, but not for long) and graduate to the premium size (approx. 14"x18") at around 6 months, and be in that until potty training. Two common types are Chinese prefolds (CPFs, made in China) and Indian prefolds (IPFs, made in Pakistan, actually); both have their devotees but are about equally effective. Diaper services generally provide CPFs, and prefolds of some type are the only style of diaper available from most services. Prefolds can be folded in thirds and laid into a snug wrap-style cover, or fastened with pins or a Snappi under looser covers; fastening, with proper folding techniques, gives more protection from poopy blowouts even within a wrap cover.
Contours -- A contour is a flat diaper with multiple layers, and with shaping, but without integral fasteners, and usually without elastic at the legs or waist. Contours are *very* easy to lay in a wrap-style cover, but do little to prevent poop from getting to the inside of the cover; using pins or a Snappi doesn't help much, because there's little material around the legs to work with.
Fitteds -- A fitted is a completely shaped diaper with integral fasteners, either snaps or hook/loop tape. It generally will have elastic at the legs and at the waist. Most of them are designed so that they have a few layers all over ("body layers") and then additional layers in the middle ("soaker layers"). Some have all the soaker layers sewn in, while others have fewer layers sewn in place, and additional layers in the form of flaps or separate soakers that snap or lay in (and there are a few "pocket fitteds", where the soaker is stuffed between the body layers -- don't confuse these with pocket diapers generally), which is intended to speed the drying time. A fitted that fits the baby well gives very good protection against poopy blowouts, and they are generally pretty sitter-friendly to put on. Some fitteds also feature a "stay-dry" layer of very thin fleece (microfleece) or suedecloth as the layer closest to the skin; these materials are non-absorbent, and allow moisture to pass into the absorbent layer, but don't readily let it back out, keeping the baby's skin somewhat dryer.
There are also some hybrids, like "prefitteds" (prefolds modified to be similar to a fitted, with shaped and elasticized legs), but these are the main types.
COVERS FOR THE ABOVE DIAPERS
There are generally 3 materials from which covers are made, and 3 ways in which covers fasten, which combine to give the available options. The possible materials are laminated fabric (usually polyurethane laminate, or PUL), polyester fleece, and wool. The possible fastenings are hook/loop tape, snaps, or pull-on. Pretty much each fabric is available in each format, although some are more prevalent than others (for instance, velcro covers are most often PUL; pull-up covers are most often wool, and knitted wool especially is most often a pull-up style cover, although other options do exist, like the buttoning Ribby Wrap).
PUL -- PUL covers use a laminated fabric; usually this is a polyester knit for solid covers, or a cotton or cotton/poly woven for print covers, but some print covers have a layer of laminated poly knit under a separate layer of a woven print rather than having the print directly laminated. These covers are very waterproof (in particular, they are not subject to compression leakage in carseats), reasonably sturdy and long-lasting (especially if hung to dry, or dried on low/no heat in the dryer), and easy to care for. They are not as breathable as the other types of covers. I include Bumkins covers with the PUL covers, although they're a slightly different type of fabric (I *think* it's a laminated nylon); they do address the breathability issue with a vent system in the back that's really pretty nifty and functions very well.
Fleece -- Polyester fleece is a hydrophobic material; in sufficient thickness, it forms a waterproof barrier. It does allow air circulation, and it is machine washable. Cheaper fleece forms "pills" more readily than higher-quality fleece and may allow leakage when this happens; washing fleece separately from cotton or hemp fabrics (the lint contributes to pill formation) and washing fleece with regular fabric softener (*must* be done separately from the absorbent materials) helps preserve its water-repellency. Fleece is generally the material most subject to compression leakage, especially in carseats and strollers, because it relies solely on physical blockage by individual fibers; when compressed, the moisture may easily find a path through the fibers.
Wool -- When treated with lanolin, wool makes an excellent waterproof fabric. The lanolin provides repellency, and such moisture as makes it through will be absorbed by the wool fibers themselves, which can absorb up to 30% of their own weight without feeling damp. The lanolin also provides a natural cleansing effect, so that wool covers can be re-used many times before washing is necessary, unless poop gets on the cover. Wool also has excellent breathability, which makes it the coolest cover material in the summer. Wool covers can be made from wool fabric (woven or knit), or can be knitted from wool yarn. Wool covers may be felted or unfelted; felted means that the material from which it was made has been agitated in hot water, which cases the fibers to thicken, shrink, and lock together, resulting in the fabric becoming smaller, thicker, less flexible, and less porous. Felted wool covers often can be machine washed, while unfelted ones almost always require hand-washing; however, as this is not required often, the total care required is similar to other types of covers.
The Formats for the covers
Hook/loop covers (velcro) -- The most common commercially-made covers are of this type, and are a front-fastening cover that's designed to wrap around the diaper and to fit snugly: a wrap cover. These types of covers can usually hold an unpinned flat, prefold, or contour in place without pins or a Snappi, and if they fit well at the legs, will contain poop, but then the cover itself has to be washed. A lot of babies discover the joy of opening these covers at around 6 to 8 months, and it's necessary to change to snaps to deter them, or keep pants on them constantly, but the novelty does wear off and it may be possible to go back to this type later.
Snapping covers -- Snapping covers may fasten in the front, or on the side. Front-snapping covers, like wraps, may be snug enough to keep an unfastened diaper in place; side-snapping covers are usually too loose to do that. Snaps generally are more resistant to little fingers than hook/loop tape; side snaps usually baffle them for much longer than front snaps. Aside from that, the choice of front vs. side snaps is purely personal preference, and how the particular covers fit the particular child.
Pull-on covers -- Pull-on covers do not unfasten. This is a distinct disadvantage when there's a poopy blowout, since the cover has to be brought down over the legs and feet; however, they're very easy to use at all other times. Pretty much the only pull-on covers in really widespread use are wool, and mostly knitted wool; the cuteness, and the ease of construction for pull-on styles vs. fastened styles, outweighs the disadvantages of the occasional poopy pull-down for many people in this material particularly.
The Other diaper systems
The true all-in-ones, where the diaper is really just a single piece containing both the absorbent layers and the waterproof layer, are comparatively rare; they're primarily commercial products, rather than WAHM products. The advantage of these is that they're really *really* easy to use -- they're essentially just like a disposable to put on. The disadvantage is that you can't take them apart, and waterproof materials really benefit from and live longest with more gentle treatment than the absorbent layers need, particularly in drying. The true AIOs are pretty much all PUL for the waterproof layer; fleece doesn't handle this situation well, and wool *can't*, since it has to be lanolized, and that would ruin the absorbent layers if they were permanently attached -- the so-called "wool-in-ones" are really an AI2 system that snaps apart.
There are really two classes within this group -- pockets, and AI2s. In both of these, the waterproof portion completely separates from the absorbent portion for laundering, and the two portions need to be put together before use; once assembled, they are extremely easy to put on, making them very sitter-friendly. They do take a bit more work at the laundry stage than true AIOs, but this is worthwhile, because the waterproof portions last longer.
Pockets -- Pocket diapers consist of an outer shell portion and an insert portion. The outer shell portion has a waterproof layer on the outside, a stay-dry layer on the inside, and an opening at either the front or the back (most common) into which the insert portion is placed. The outer layer is usually PUL, but occasionally fleece (I'm not aware of a successful wool pocket), and the stay-dry layer is either suedecloth or microfleece. A pocket diaper that has been pre-stuffed with its insert(s) is just as easy to use as a disposable, and makes an excellent daycare diaper. Pockets and inserts are usually sold separately; unless a vendor says that inserts are included in the price, assume they're not.
Inserts -- Inserts are the absorbent portion of a pocket diaper. They can be made of anything absorbent, including old towels, t-shirts, washcloths, etc., but many are specifically made for the purpose. The most common choices are: (1) prefolds, often a size smaller than the child would wear if the prefold were going to be fastened separately; (2) microfiber towels, available in the kitchenware or in the automotive cleansing section at Wal-Mart, etc., or separately sewn into inserts by diaper vendors; and (3) hemp/cotton blend inserts specifically made for cloth diapers.
AI2s -- AI2s are also known as "quick dry" AIOs, and most WAHM-made AIOs are in fact of this type. They generally consist of an outer shell, similar to a cover, and then a soaker which usually fastens to the shell with snaps, but may just lay in place. The shell part may be of any of the cover fabrics; PUL types usually have a stay-dry layer as a lining, so the laminated side of the PUL isn't against skin. The soakers are also often covered with stay-dry fabric, and most often are a bi-fold or tri-fold design, so that they unfold to dry more quickly than a thicker soaker would.
Accessories
These accessories may be used with several of the types of systems, so they get their own categories.
Liners -- There are several different types of liners, and they serve different functions, some overlapping, in the diaper. All of these are placed as the very top layer, next to the skin.
(1) Fleece liners -- Fleece liners are a single layer of microfleece, either rectangular or contoured, and may or may not be finished on the edges. They serve two functions, as a stay-dry layer in a diaper which doesn't have one, and to make the removal of poop from the diaper easier, as poop comes off fleece more easily than off cotton. They can also be used when a non-diaper-friendly ointment is going to be used, to protect the diaper from staining or other ill effects. They are washed with the diapers. They can *generally* be used with any type of diapering system, but using them on top of an existing stay-dry layer may cause repelling problems; disposable liners are better for that.
(2) Flushable/disposable/rice paper liners -- Disposable liners mainly serve to make poop removal easier and for keeping ointments off the diapers. They are either flushed (if flushable, and the waste disposal system will tolerate them) or thrown away once soiled; some types may be washed with the diapers and re-used a few times before wearing out. They can be used with any type of diapering system.
(3) Silk liners -- The main function of silk liners is to promote healing of rashes; the silk is soothing to skin and can help it to heal without the use of ointments. They are washed and re-used. They can be used with any type of diapering system.
Doublers -- Doublers are a pad of absorbent material, smaller than a contour diaper, which adds extra absorbency. They can be rectangular, oval, or contoured, and some are topped with a stay-dry material. They can be used in any type of diapering system, wherever and whenever extra absorbency is needed, and are a good way to add absorbency without adding bulk outside the immediate wet zone.
Summary:
Diapers
Prefolds - need a wrap of some kind
Fitteds - need a wrap of some kind
Pockets - need something stuffed in them, be it a microfibre insert, a hemp insert or even a t-shirt! Absorbancy can be customised to your needs.
All in Ones - True AIOs don't need anything (bar maybe a liner)
Liners - Fleece, silk or flushable - lay on top of inner of dipe (so it touched babys bum)
Doublers - add at nap time/overnight etc when you need more absorbancy
Wool Wraps - needs lanolised every now and again, breatheable
Fleece Wraps - breatheable
PUL Covers - waterproof but not a breathable as fleece or wool
original:
http://community.livejournal.com/clothdiapering/941837.html